Ordinance created to repeal Jeromesville tax

JEROMESVILLE -- Jeromesville Village Council moved forward on its path to rescinding a 1 percent income tax and agreement with the Regional Income Tax Agency during a special meeting Monday night.

The council voted 5-1 in favor of village solicitor Jon Burton creating an ordinance repealing the tax and 5-1 in favor of creating an ordinance repealing the agreement with RITA, with Councilman W. Thorne Nethero dissenting both times. The ordinances up for repeal were written into law in late 2013. Since then, council members Randy Spade, Dale Harrison and Carla Koons have been voted in and Gail Spade was appointed to replace Beth Hart, who resigned from council in December.

Monday's special meeting took place to fix a mistake made during the council's regularly scheduled meeting last week, when members voted to repeal the tax, 4-3, with Mayor Ed Blough breaking the tie. No ordinance was made during that meeting, violating Ohio Revised Code. Blough declined to say why he voted in favor of the repeal.

Burton, who was present at the meeting to answer council members' questions, said making the motion official is simple.

"You have to repeal an ordinance by an ordinance," he said.

Council member Koons said she wants the two ordinances written up and voted on as quickly as possible, as how quickly the council acts directly influences the finances of residents and businesses in the community.

"If we are going to do it," Koons said, "we should go ahead and do it."

Burton said the council might quicken the repeal if five members suspend the rules for three separate readings and declare it an emergency ordinance. Such a declaration would allow the ordinance to go into effect immediately as opposed to the 30 day wait period normally required.

Blough said the income tax that council is attempting to repeal was created in 2013 because state funding for local governments is decreasing and the council believed other sources of revenue were necessary.

Koons said she was pleased with the decision of the council and said she has spoken with many town residents who believe it is the right thing to do.

"It definitely reflects the feeling of people in town," she said.

During last week's meeting, council member Randy Spade said he believed the council should look for alternative sources of revenue, but Nethero said making a decision on such a basis is premature.

"There is no other plan in place," he said.

He said the council is full of good people but new members are still learning what they are doing. The council will vote on the ordinances drawn up by Burton during a special meeting 7 p.m. Friday at village hall.

Thomas Doohan can be reached at 419-281-0581, ext. 240, or at tdoohan@times-gazette.com.

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